SEOUL: South Korea was plunged into a brief spring cold snap on April 7, with temperatures expected to remain below seasonal norms through April 9, the state weather agency said.
Seoul recorded a morning low of 3.3 deg C, about 3 degrees below the 30-year average for this time of year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
In Paju, Gyeonggi Province, temperatures fell below freezing to minus 3 deg C, about 5.2 degrees below average.
Morning temperatures in major cities remained below 10 deg C as at 8am on April 7, ranging from around 5 deg C in Seoul to 9.5 deg C in Busan. The chill was accompanied by strong winds.
The weather agency said colder-than-usual conditions are expected to persist through April 9, with lows below the typical range of 2 to 9 deg C and daytime highs below the seasonal norm of 15 to 19 deg C.
Potentially heavy rain is forecast nationwide on April 9, with hourly precipitation expected to reach up to 80mm on the mainland, 150mm on Jeju Island and 30mm in Greater Seoul, which includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province.
Rain is expected to begin in southern regions, including Jeju Island and South Jeolla Province, before spreading nationwide by noon.
Showers are likely to continue into the morning of April 10.
Temperatures are expected to return to more typical seasonal levels by the end of the week, with lows of 4 to 11 eg C dand highs of 15 to 22 deg C. Some rain is forecast for Jeju Island on April 12, while daytime highs nationwide are expected to rise to between 18 and 25 deg C.
Cold snaps in late March and April are relatively common in South Korea, often linked to fluctuations in the Siberian High system. The phenomenon is locally known as “ggotsaem chuwi”, referring to a chill that arrives alongside spring blossoms. - The Korea Herald/ANN
